Final Year Practical

Final year- Last Exam. Practical

The last day, final year, practical in machine shop. The students stood in line and each one picked up first chit for the shift-session and the second for the machine to work.  Rangan’s test was slated for the 2nd shift-session and to work on the slotting machine. The job involved centering a circular steel piece using a rotary fixture, drilling and making a key-way in one hour’s time. Classmate Nagappan was allotted the first shift-session to work for the same work and with the same slotting machine. Nagappan was a role model for Rangan in practicals. Nagappan  did the centering and drilling in the allotted one hour and could not complete the job, though he was very good in practicals throughout.  When Rangan took charge for the second shift-session, he was surprised to see the piece already centred. All he was to do was drilling and slotting. The time Rangan remembered the Warden Venkatachalam’s advice and kept focussing only on the present. Within 45 minutes, Rangan completed the allotted job to the satisfaction of supervisor and handed over the finished job.  Rangan was called first for the viva-voce. Being the last exam, the Professor of Mechanical Engineering, RN Varadarajan took the viva-voce along with the external examiner. During the viva, Rangan revealed the truth and said “Sir. I could finish the job in time mainly because of   Nagappan, as he had done the difficult job of centering the piece”.  Professor Varadarajan said “Rangarajan! I appreciate your honesty. I will give you the highest mark in this practical and I shall also give additional marks for centering to Nagappan. My best wishes for you to become a good and respectable engineer”. When Rangan came out of the machine shop, he was totally blank for a couple of minutes.  His legs took him to the Kali Temple.